Showy Tarweed

Showy tarweed is a pineapple-scented annual of western North America known for its cheerful yellow, ray-flowered daisies accented with reddish or brown disk centers. It typically occupies dry grasslands, rocky slopes, and disturbed sites, opening its flowers in the cooler morning and evening hours. The plant’s aromatic, resinous foliage helps deter herbivory, while its nectar and pollen support a broad suite of native bees. Highly adapted to summer-dry climates, showy tarweed is a dependable contributor to late-season floral resources. The oil-rich seeds were an important food for many native people and for songbirds.